The First Sign of Darkness
by PsychoticWriter
Summary: Kakashi's got a big problem, and his students don't know what to do.Don't let it get loose, for the darkness will consume you.
1. Chapter 1

Kakashi sat in a large tree overlooking the village. The moonlight was reflecting upon his pale face. He sighed. "This might be the last time I see the moon through my own eyes." A small cool breeze blew around him. He twitched. A sharp pain in his neck made him go limp. His eyes grew wide. _'No…not yet! It's not supposed to happen! Not now!'_ He screamed and fell out of the tree.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were about two blocks away from where they were supposed to meet their Sensei. While Sakura and Naruto were busy arguing with each other, Sasuke was quieter than ever. _'Something's wrong.'_ He thought. _'Something's off around here. I can feel an evil presence…its close.'_

"Kakashi-Sensei is going to be here on time, Naruto."

"He is not! He's always late. You know that."

Sakura growled and realized that it wasn't worth arguing over. _'He'll be early today…I just know it.'_

She had accidentally bumped in to Sasuke. "I'm sorry Sasuke-kun! I didn't mean to—" She was cut short.

"Look." Sasuke was pointing toward the bridge.

"Huh?" She looked to where he was pointing.

All three of them stood gaping.

"Whaaaaaat! Kakashi-Sensei got here before us!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi stood on the bridge staring down at the waters below. He noticed his three students and looked at them.

'_His eye…'_ Sasuke thought. _'What's with his eye? He looks…a little heartless and cold…something's wrong with him…'_

"Come." Their Sensei spoke up. "We're going into the forest."

"Alright!" Naruto piped. "A mission!"

Kakashi chuckled. _'This'll be your last mission, fool.'_

They reached the forest. Kakashi suddenly stopped and reached in his pouch. He pulled out a kunai. His students stepped back.

"Wh-what are you doing, Sensei?" Naruto asked.

"I'm going to kill you, and everyone else in this dreadful village." He laughed.

They were shocked by his answer.

Kakashi took a step forward. Then another. He ran at Naruto, laughing like a maniac. He grabbed him by his shirt collar and lifted him up. The kunai was at Naruto's throat.

"S-Sensei…you wouldn't kill me, would you?"

"Heh heh…I would, and I will, fool." He put the kunai closer to his neck, but he hesitated before making the final blow that would end Naruto's life. Kakashi started to shake. He dropped Naruto along with the kunai and stumbled backwards. He gripped his head with his hands. Naruto, still on the ground, was scared and sweating.

"Damn you!" Kakashi yelled. "It's not time to come out, bastard!"

He fell to his knees.

There was silence for a while.

"Na…Naruto…I-I'm sorry…" He looked up at him and pleaded. "F-forgive me…Naruto…" He collapsed into the ground.

Kakashi shivered and opened his eyes. _'What…'_

"…He's awake…"

He looked in the direction of the voice. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were staring at him like he was some kind of monster. He looked at his body. He was in a bed with blankets and sheets covering him.

'_What is…how…?'_ He thought. _'I remember it…'_

"You guys, I'm sorry about what happened." He felt a tear roll down his cheek so he closed his eyes. Naruto walked up to him. Kakashi looked up at his student. Naruto wiped the tear from his cheek.

"Sensei…what happened to you? You seemed very different from before…you tried to kill me…why!"

"Naruto…a dark side has been lurking inside of me for years now…ever since my best friend died. I knew it was there. I always knew, but I wasn't able to stop it from happening." Tears kept rolling down his face and he couldn't stop them. "I-If I don't leave and do something…it'll take over my whole body. I can't stop it if it does that. I can't let that happen…no matter what." He got off the bed and headed for the door.

'_What should I do?'_ Naruto asked himself.

Sakura ran up to Kakashi and grabbed his arm. "You can't leave, Kakashi-Sensei! I want you to teach me! I want to learn more! I don't care about the consequences of my actions…I just want you to stay and teach me." She begged.

"I agree with Sakura. You're our Sensei, you teach, we learn. If you leave, we have to stay behind and we won't learn."

Naruto stumbled over words. "Y-Yeah! What they said!"

"Naruto, you're such an idiot…" Sakura said frowning.

"Hey! I am not…" He smiled back at Kakashi. "Besides, Kakashi-Sensei, you're one of the best teachers I've had! If you leave, I'm going with you!"

"If you go with me, you'll be in danger, you know that right?" He asked curious.

They nodded.

He smiled. _'Such kindness toward others…I'll stay, just for them…'_ He looked serious. _'But how long can I last…I don't want my dark half to completely take over my body and control me. I don't want to kill them, or anyone else.'_


	2. Chapter 2

"Sensei?"

His thoughts were interrupted. "Yes, Naruto?"

"You have to get better, and we have to help…but where do we begin?"

Kakashi stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned down by Naruto. "We rest."

"Why do we need to rest? I'm not tired." He crossed his arms and stared at his Sensei.

"You may not be, but _I_ am. Whenever that…_monster_ comes out, it wears me out."

"Oh. Okay."

The night was long. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura slept where Kakashi did. He was able to sleep on a bed, while they slept on the floor. Kakashi opened his eyes and looked around. _'It's clear…'_ He thought. _'Everyone's asleep. Good.'_ He quietly grabbed his weapons and opened the door. He slightly turned and stared at his three sleeping students. _'Hm. They worry too much.'_ He smiled, but it was hidden under his mask. _'But maybe it's good that they worry…'_ He headed out the door.

Kakashi walked for a while until he reached an open field. He set his stuff down, and retrieved a shuriken out of his back weapon pouch. He threw it at a tree, but missed it by a few inches. He sighed and went on getting it back. He was right by it, but something startled him. A kunai flew right past his head. A little bit of blood dripped down his face. It took him a moment to realize he was hit.

"Uh! What!" He looked around in every direction. More kunai's and shuriken's flew past him. One of the shuriken's hit his shoulder, and a kunai went into his leg. He backed away, and turned to run, but more went into his back. He heard rustling in trees and turned around. "I…I have you now!" You tugged the kunai out of his leg and threw it at the rustling that was in the tree. He heard a scream, and a man fell out. He jerked out the shuriken in his shoulder and threw it on the ground.

He sat in the grass. "Why did that man want to kill me? I suppose I needed to train, I guess that was my training for a while." His vision was blurring, and he started getting dizzy. "Damn…I've lost too much blood." He heard movement behind him and he turned around. "Who's there!"

A figure ran up to him.

"Sakura…?"

"You guys, I found him! Hurry up and get over here!" She sat down and leaned him down upon her lap. "Quiet, Sensei…"

Naruto and Sasuke ran up to them. Naruto was shocked to see his Sensei in such awful condition.

Kakashi groaned and mumbled something.

"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura leaned in closer.

"Upon the ground…under the tree…a man…"

They looked at where he said. "There is a man over there." Sasuke answered. "But he looks dead."

Kakashi closed his eyes and relaxed. Sakura looked down at him. Blood covered her. "Sensei? Sensei! Wake up!"

It was no use; he had passed out from loss of blood.

Kakashi woke up sweating. He sat up and put his head in his hands. He heard footsteps coming toward him and he looked up.

"…You guys…" His three students stood over him. Sakura pushed him back on the pillow. She put a cold wet rag up to his head.

"…You said you needed rest, so why did you go out and get yourself hurt like that?"

He thought for a moment about what happened. "Training, but I almost ended up killing myself." He chuckled, but immediately stopped. He swore. His body started becoming sore from all of the cuts and bruises.

"Look. It's time to change your bandages." Sakura pushed Naruto and Sasuke out of the room.

"Hey! Why do we have to leave!" Naruto glared at her.

"Because, one, you don't know how to change bandages, and two, I need to speak with Kakashi-Sensei alone." She shut the door behind them.

Sakura got the first-aid kit out and walked over to Kakashi. "I need you to sit up, ok? I know it'll be painful, but try to stand it. This is the only way for your wounds to heal."

He nodded.

She gently helped him up. He winced and cried out in pain. She hurried up and got out a small bottle containing some strange liquid. As she uncorked it, Kakashi looked at it.

"What is that?" He asked in a weak voice.

"Opium. Listen, if you don't want to feel any more pain, then take this. Believe me, it'll help." She handed the uncorked bottle to him.

He gulped it down and made a disgusted look.

She smiled. "It's nasty, yes, but it is worth it." She took the bottle from his hands and grabbed some bandages. Tenderly, she un-wrapped the bloody bandages on his arms and legs. Sakura leaned on the edge of the bed and moved his back to her chest. She finished dressing Kakashi's chest and stomach. "There. All done." She noticed his breathing had slowed and he hadn't talked. She leaned down by his face. His eyes were closed.

"He's…sleeping…the opium must've taken effect sooner than I thought." She laid him back down on the bed and covered him up. _'We'll talk tomorrow, if he's up to it.' _She thought, and left the room. Walking into the other room, she noticed Naruto and Sasuke sitting on the floor.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Can Sasuke and I go see him now?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, not now. He's sleeping. Don't disturb him."

Naruto growled. "…you got to talk to him…"

"No, I didn't. He fell asleep before I could get anything out of him." She sighed and sat by Sasuke. "You guys want to train?"

Naruto jumped up. "Yeah! Alright!"

Sasuke nodded and got up. All three of them headed out the door.


End file.
